Canonization of 40 English and Welsh Martyrsby Fr Paolo Molinari SJ. The forty Martyrs are among the best known of the many Catholics who gave their lives in England and Wales during the 16th and 17th centuries owing to the fact that their religious convictions clashed with the laws of the State at that time.

Canonization of SaintsAn outline of the history and the processes of beatification and canonization as it existed in 1952. (The process was amended by Pope John Paul II in 1983).

Day- by-Day Calendar of PatronsTaken from Helen McLoughlin's 'My Nameday--Come for Dessert,' published in 1962 by Liturgical Press. This day - by - day calendar of patron saints is taken from the old calendar of feasts.

Devotion to Relicsby Fr William Saunders. An article explaining the origin of relics and their proper use and veneration. (from Arlington Catholic Herald, 14 October 1999)

How is someone made a Saint?Although in the early Church there was no formal process for declaring a person to be a Saint, for many Centuries now the Church has had a formal process by which she investigates the lives of those who died "in the odour of saanctity" and decides whether they should be first beatified and then canonized. To learn more, read this article about the process of becoming a Saint.

Keeping in Touch with the Saintsby Ann Ball. An article about the work of Saints Alive, an apostolate dedicated to the preservation and public veneration of authentically documented relics of the saints. (from Our Sunday Visitor, 6 September 1998)

Lives of Saints Show the World the Divine in the HumanCardinal Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, considers what it is to be a Saint, objections to the process of canonization (regarded by some as anachronistic), why Pope John Paul II has beatified and canonized so many, the care with which the lives of candidates are investigated, and their impact on the world.

New Evangelization with the SaintsIn this article from L'Osservatore Romano, Archbishop Edward Nowak, Secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, explains the large increase in beatifications and canonizations in the last 20 years.

Patron Saintsby Catherine Fournier Some saints are known to have a particular affinity or interest for intercession. A list of patron saints and their 'specialty.'

Reform of Canonization CausesIn this ZENIT dispatch, Archbishop Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for Causes of Saints, explains how procedures in the causes of canonization have changed, allowing the huge increase in canonizations under Pope John Paul II.

Vatican Saint-Maker Tells What It Takes to Make the CutCardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, is known for his good-natured Portuguese temperament. Or perhaps it is the satisfaction of spending so much of his time with the saints. Under Pope John Paul II, the Congregation has beatified 996 men and women and canonized another 447 — which is comparable to the beatification and canonization numbers of the four previous centuries combined.

What is a Saint?An explanation of Sainthood and how a person becomes a Saint in the Catholic Church.

What is a Saint?by Peter Kreeft. Saints are not freaks or exceptions, they are the standard operating model for human beings.

Why Do We Honour The Saints?by Maria Hernandez. Explanation and discussion of this important aspect of our faith lives; emulation of and intercessory prayer to our brothers and sisters in Christ - the saints.